Main Range National Park is a long wall of rainforest, cliffs and eucalypt forest on the Great Dividing Range in the Scenic Rim, about 95 minutes by car from Brisbane. It has four main visitor sections – Cunninghams Gap, Spicers Gap, Queen Mary Falls and Goomburra – and each one is a different kind of day out.
The park is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Site and includes the largest area of rainforest in South East Queensland. Its highest point, Mount Superbus at 1,375 metres, is the highest peak in the region. Most visitors pick one section, so the guide below helps you choose.
The four sections of Main Range National Park
Cunninghams Gap
The most visited section, because the Cunningham Highway runs straight through it. A car park, picnic area and rainforest walks sit beside the road at the top of the pass, with longer climbs to Mount Cordeaux and Bare Rock. It has its own guide: Cunninghams Gap: lookouts, walks and the highway stop.
Spicers Gap
Spicers Gap is reached by Spicers Gap Road from the eastern side of the range. The road ends at the Governors Chair lookout, with views over the Fassifern Valley. Henry Alphen found the gap in 1847, and it is believed to have been a traditional pathway for Indigenous Australians. Spicers Gap Road is described as the best remaining example of sophisticated 19th-century engineering in Queensland.
Queen Mary Falls
Queen Mary Falls has walking tracks and picnic facilities. The Daggs Falls lookout is a very short walk, listed by Aussie Bushwalking as a 15 minute outing.
Goomburra
Goomburra is on the western side of the range, and its forest reserve became part of the national park in 1994. It is where you find the Poplar Flat and Manna Gum camping areas. Some Goomburra walking tracks have been closed after storm damage, so check the Queensland Parks alerts before you plan a walking day.
Camping in Main Range National Park
- Spicers Gap camping area: on Spicers Gap Road on the eastern side of the range. The road is steep and rough in places.
- Goomburra: two camping areas, Poplar Flat and Manna Gum, on the western side. Poplar Flat is the first area you reach on the unsealed Forestry Reserve Road.
Camping needs a booking made in advance through Queensland Parks; phone coverage in the park can be limited, so book before you go. Check the current fees, rules on campfires and dogs, and any closures on that page before you travel.
Walks and lookouts
The park has dozens of tracks. The short ones are the best starting point: the Rainforest circuit at Cunninghams Gap, the Governors Chair lookout track at Spicers Gap and the Daggs Falls lookout at Queen Mary Falls. The big days are Mount Cordeaux and Bare Rock, which are Grade 4 climbs; Bare Rock is about 12.4 km return and around 4.5 hours. The full list for the Gap is in the Cunninghams Gap guide.
The lookout on the Rainforest circuit looks out towards Lake Moogerah, and Mount Greville is another Scenic Rim peak with a summit walk.
Planning your visit
- Which section: Cunninghams Gap for easy walks beside the highway; Spicers Gap for camping and the lookout; Goomburra for forest camping; Queen Mary Falls for a waterfall lookout.
- Cost: No fee or permit is listed for the Cunninghams Gap walks. Camping fees apply and are booked in advance.
- Dogs: Not permitted on the Rainforest circuit. National parks generally restrict pets, so check with Queensland Parks before bringing a dog, including to a campground.
- What to bring: water, food, a map and a charged phone. Tell someone where you are going. Check for ticks in spring and summer.
- Safety: check Queensland Parks alerts for track and road closures before you leave.
Getting to Main Range National Park
The Cunninghams Gap section is on the Cunningham Highway, about 95 minutes (112 km) by car from Brisbane CBD to the picnic area, without traffic. Spicers Gap and Goomburra take longer and use side roads; check the route on the Queensland Parks page. Check QLDTraffic for road conditions on the highway.
Nearby
- Cunninghams Gap – the park’s main walking hub, on the highway.
- Lake Moogerah – swimming, camping and fishing at the lake below the range.
- Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm – a vineyard and lavender farm nearby.
- Curtis Falls – a rainforest waterfall walk.
More like this: National parks, camping and the Scenic Rim.
You might also like
- Boonah – things to do, markets and lookouts in a country town.
- Lamington National Park and Binna Burra – more World Heritage rainforest walking.
- Mount Barney – the Scenic Rim’s big peak.
Quick answers
Where is Main Range National Park?
In the Scenic Rim, on the Great Dividing Range about 95 minutes by car from Brisbane. The Cunningham Highway crosses it at Cunninghams Gap.
Can you camp in Main Range National Park?
Yes. Spicers Gap has a camping area, and Poplar Flat and Manna Gum are at Goomburra. Book in advance through Queensland Parks and check current fees and closures first.
Are dogs allowed in Main Range National Park?
Not on the Rainforest circuit at Cunninghams Gap. National parks generally restrict pets, so check with Queensland Parks before bringing a dog anywhere in the park.
Is Cunninghams Gap part of Main Range National Park?
Yes. It is one of the park’s four sections and the one beside the highway. See the Cunninghams Gap guide.
Is there an entry fee?
No fee or permit is listed for the Cunninghams Gap walks. Camping is paid and booked in advance through Queensland Parks.
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